Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters Salary - BLS OEWS Wage Benchmarks
SOC 47-2152 · National · May 2025 OEWS Data
Median Annual Salary
$63,794
$30.67/hr
Verified BLS OEWS data · Updated May 18, 2026
Source: BLS OEWS · Published May 15, 2026
Next refresh: May 2027
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The national median salary for Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters is $63,794 per year ($30.67/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The middle 50% of earners make between $50,190 and $85,114 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $108,430 per year. There are approximately 465,840 plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters employed in the United States.
About This Role
BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018
Assemble, install, alter, and repair pipelines or pipe systems that carry water, steam, air, or other liquids or gases. May install heating and cooling equipment and mechanical control systems. Includes sprinkler fitters.
Career Outlook
BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
+4.5%
Faster than average
Annual openings
44K
per year, on avg
Workforce today
505K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
5% from new growth95% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
High school diploma or equivalent
Experience
None
On-the-job training
Apprenticeship
Industry Wage Breakdown
Top 5 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
Industry
Workforce
Median Pay
Building Equipment Contractors
NAICS 238200
340K
$63,110
Utility System Construction
NAICS 237100
15K
$61,400
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)
NAICS 999300
11K
$66,200
Nonresidential Building Construction
NAICS 236200
11K
$71,220
Other Specialty Trade Contractors
NAICS 238900
7K
$63,300
Wage range across top 5 industries: $61,400 to $71,220 (16% spread)
Wage Percentiles
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
P10
$21.22
$44,138
P25
$24.13
$50,190
P50MEDIAN
$30.67
$63,794
P75
$40.92
$85,114
P90
$52.13
$108,430
Market Context Signal
JOLTS · manufacturing sector
Stable
Openings Rate
3.5%
Quits Rate
1.4%
Manufacturing openings ticked up to 462K (+19K) in March, with the rate at 3.5%. Hires rose to 310K. The sector has stabilized after late-2025 softening.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters salary?
The national median salary for Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters is $63,794 per year ($30.67/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle 50% earn between $50,190 and $85,114 annually.
How much do top-earning plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters make?
The 90th percentile salary for Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters is $108,430 per year ($52.13/hr). The 75th percentile is $85,114 per year.
What is the entry-level salary for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters?
Entry-level Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (10th percentile) earn approximately $44,138 per year ($21.22/hr). The 25th percentile is $50,190 per year.
Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.
P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.
Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.
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